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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bound — tied together
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bound — obliged
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — decided
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. club — for golf
  13. firm — a company
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bound — certain
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lean — thin
  21. club — a group
  22. land — to come down
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stand — to bear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com